Residents enjoy fun and food at growing space’s Big Lunch

A community growing space recently held its fourth annual Big Lunch event, recently bringing over 160 residents together for fun-filled activities and food.

Meadowbrook CIC based on Woodrow Road is a non-profit social enterprise which has created a communal growing space, a shelter, a sharing and performing area, a fire circle, an orchid and beehives.

Last month, it took part in the national Big Lunch event, a UK-wide initiative led by the Eden Project, to bring the community together for a few hours of friendship, food and fun.

“It has become an unexpected yearly tradition and serves as our open afternoon. Think village fete vibes with lots of fun field activities,” said organiser and founder of Meadowbrook CIC, Grace Dalgleish.

“This year was probably the best Big Lunch yet. There was a lovely atmosphere and the sun played ball for the most part. Over 160 people as well as lots of well-behaved canine guests were also there.”

On the day there was entertainment, including a local young magician, Revilo, who did walkabout magic with guests, and musical performances in the ‘hornbeam’ circle from Wiltshire & Swindon Rock Choir.

Melksham Lions also attended and ran a water-based activity, and refreshments were provided by Rocco from Roc and Floss coffee.

“Playful Paws, who are part of Conductive Education Bristol CIC, also had a stall and there were lots of small animal cuddles between guests and their collection of small animals,” said Grace. “They offer animal-assisted sessions to local families living with profound health challenges. The raffle was very popular, with all sorts of donations coming from local businesses, including Melksham Asda, The Longs at Steeple Ashton, Boomerang and Netherstreet Farm.”

Recently Meadowbrook CIC received a £4,500 funding boost from the National Gardens Scheme and were presented with a plaque to commemorate their work, which, over recent months, has included weekly art sessions in collaboration with Celebrating Age Wiltshire at Melksham Library.   

“We are looking forward to providing further creative sessions at the site itself off the back of these indoor sessions,” said Grace. “We have built great relationships with the folk who attend the weekly peer-led group ‘Nature, Art and Friends’ in Melksham and are looking forward to hosting a social and some creative sessions on site with them.”

Other highlights over recent months have included a Summer Solstice Yoga session in the meadow with 25 participants of all ages in conjunction with local gym Tribe PT and a weekly volunteer drop-in called ‘Satur-do-day’ on the third Saturday each month.

“We are currently joined by two young people completing the voluntary part of their Duke of Edinburgh awards. We get a real mix of ages and stages joining us for these monthly drop- ins,” said Grace.

“We are becoming more well-known locally and recent months have seen an increase in enquiries for provision of our services to local groups and service providers. We are a grassroots project that is being established for longevity and sustainability. We affectionately say that it’s okay to ‘be more tortoise’ in a world of hares. The beauty of developing gradually and intentionally as a project is that we can easily adapt to inevitable detours and delays and, more importantly, to the needs of our beneficiaries.”

The weather has presented challenges for the organisation over the last year. Grace said, “There was sudden flooding and extended drought periods but the planting being done gradually is reaping rewards and we are seeing a tangible increase in insects at the site. “We significantly overhauled our car parking area and entrance track last autumn with funding from both the Melksham Area Board and a project Crowdfunder and those areas are now so much more accessible and smarter.”

For more information about Meadowbrook CIC and how to get involved with volunteering or some of the activities on offer, visit the website https://meadowbrookwiltshire.org/

Pictured: L-R Mason Dalgleish with his dad, Ja Dalgleish co-founder of Meadowbrook CIC